Chemical manufacture



Patented Feb. 1 6, 1937 PATENT ()FFICE 2,071,091 onnmonr. MANUFACTURE.

Maurice C. Taylor, Niagara Falls, N. Y., asslgnor to The MathiesonAlkali Works, Inc., New York, N. Y., a corporation of Virginia NoDrawing. Appl cation July 13, 1936, Serial 7. r 7 No. 90,443 r 11Claims. (01. 167-17) This invention provides an improved fungicide and.bactericide and an improved sterilization process involving the appsation of chlorous acid and salts of chlorous acid, chlorites, to thekilling of fungi and bacterial organisms.

.I have found that chlorous acid and-the .salts of chlorous acid,chlorites, are effective fungicides and bactericides when used in mediathe pH value of which is less than about '7. Where the pH value of themedium is less than about 4, the chlorites are as effective as thecorresponding hypochlorites.

The sterilization process of my invention comprises subjecting theorganism to be killed to the action of chlorous acid or a chlorite,sodium chlorite or calcium chlorite, in a medium having a pH value lessthan about 7. The acidity of the medium may be controlled by theregulated addition of acid agents, of the class comprising hydrochloricacid, sulphuric acid, acetic acid, benzoic acid, nitric acid, boricacid, and acid salts including sodium and potassium acid phosphates,acid sulphates, acid phthalates and acid fluorides, for example;

The improved fungicide and bactericide of my v invention includes,broadly, solutions of the salts of chlorous acid in media having a pHvalue less than about 7 and also includes mixtures of such salts andacid agents for controlling the acidity of the medium in which themixture is applied adapted to form such solutions when dissolved in themedium. Suitable acid agents include sodium and potassium acidphosphates, boric acid,

' and sodium silico fluoride, for example.

Thechlorites of the alkali-metals and alkaline earth metals areparticularly useful as fungicides and bactericides. However, thechlorite radical is the effective component of the fungicidal andbactericidal solutions of the invention.

agents. These improved chlorite compositions comprise dry mixtures ofchlorites, sodium chlorite or calcium chlorite for example, and an acidagent or acid salt such as boric acid, sodium or. potassium acidphosphates, and acid sulphates, and sodium silico fluoride, for example.Such mixtures are indefinitely stable, with respect to their chloritecontent, are readily soluble in water, and when dissolved form powerfulfungicides and bactericides and active bleaching solutions.

The improved chlorite composition of my invention may be used to formsolutions for use in washing dairy utensils and milk containers, foodcontainers, andthe like, as a substitute for Dakins" solution in someinstances, for the sour and bleaching operations in laundry practice,and for the bleaching-of textiles.

The following examples will further illustrate the invention:

Example I Two parts of sodium chlorite are mixed with 98 parts ofpotassium dihydrogen phosphate. Both materials should be finely groundand dry. The mixture is suitable for use in disinfection of foodcontainers including dairy utensils.

Example I! One part of sodium chlorite is mixed with two parts of sodiumsilico fluoride. This mixture is suitable for use in laundries, to beused in solution in place of the usual sour. Its use eliminates thenecessity of applying bleach to the suds as is usually done.

This application is a continuation-in-part of my application forChemical manufacture flled February 12, 1932, Serial No. 592,651.

I claim:

1. A stable fungicidal and bactericidal composition comprising amaterial selected from the group consisting of chlorous acid and thesoluble salts of chlorous acid.

2. A stable fungicidal and bactericidal composition comprising thechlorites of the metals of the group consisting of the alkali metals andthe alkaline earth metals.

3. A stable fungicidal and bactericidal composition comprising mixturesof acid agents and metals.

4. A stable fungicidal and bactericidal composition comprising mixturesof the soluble salts of chlorous acid and acid agents.

I 5. A sterilization process comprising subjecting the organism to bekilled to the action of the chlorite radical in a medium having a pHvalue less than about '7.

. 6. A sterilization process comprising subjecting the organism to bekilled to the action of a chlorite of metal of the group comprising thealkali metals and the alkaline earth metals in a medium having a pHvalue less than about 7.

'7. A sterilization process comprising subjecting the organism to bekilled to the action of a soluble salt of chlorous acid in a mediumhaving a pH value less than about '7.

8. A stable chlorite composition comprising a dry mixture of a solublechlorite and an acid agent.

9. A stable chlorite composition comprising a dry mixture of a solublechlorite and an acid salt.

5 10.'A stable chlorite composition comprising a dry mixture of achlorite of the metals of the group consisting of the alkali metals andthe alkaline earth metals and an acid agent.

11. A fungicidal and bactericidal solution comprising chlorous acid in amedium which has a pH value less than about 7. 5

MAURICE C. TAYLOR.

